MAINE: FRENCHMAN'S BAY DISTRICT. 33 



shipped to Boston and New York. In 1805 or 1866 six cargoes, equal to 125,000 boxes, were landed 

 and smoked here. The average, for the different years has been 30,000 to 40,000 boxes. Twenty- 

 four smoke-houses are owned in the town, though few of them are now in use. 



The shore fishermen of Lamoine were at one time extensively engaged in the manufacture of 

 menhaden oil in common with the fishermen of Hancock and Gouldsboro'. 



At present there are five vessels, aggregating 409.93 tons, valued at $14,700, and furnishing 

 employment to 68 men, fishing from Lamoine; while two others, formerly engaged in the fisheries, 

 have remained idle the present season. The catch in 1S79 amounted to 10,570 quintals, and in 1880 

 to 6,350 quintals. 



The shore fisheries are prosecuted by a few men who fish from small boats for lobsters and cod 

 during the summer months. Three small brush weirs are fished for herring, but they are not prop- 

 erly cared for and the catch is unimportant. 



In the fall of 1880, Eastport capitalists, hearing of the abundance of herring in the locality, built 

 a sardine cannery at Lamoiue, and put up a small quantity of fish. They intend erecting larger 

 buildings in 1881 and hope to do an extensive business. A large number of weirs will be built for 

 catching the fish. 



15. MOUNT DESERT ISLAND AND ITS FISHERIES. 



GENERAL DESCRIPTION. The island of Mount Desert, containing the towns of Eden, Mount 

 Desert, and Tremont, is about 18 miles long by 12 to 15 miles wide. It lies between Frenchman's 

 and Union Bays, being separated from the shore by a narrow channel which is spanned by a toll- 

 bridge. It was first settled by the French in 1608, but eight years later the settlement was broken 

 up by the Virginians. In 1760 it was resettled by the English, and in 1789 was incorporated as a 

 town under the name of Mount Desert. Since that time it has been divided into three townships, 

 that portion lying along the eastern shore retaining the original name. The island is peculiarly 

 attractive on account of its native wildness and picturesque scenery, and is the most popular 

 summer resort on the coast of Maiue. It has at present over 4,000 inhabitants. Several small 

 islands, or groups of islands, lying within a few miles of its shores are very naturally included 

 with it. The more important of these are Cranberry Isles, and Gott's, Bartlett's, and Tinker's 

 Islands. If these be included, Mount Desert has a very important relation to the fisheries. The 

 northern portion, including the greater part of the towns of Eden and Mount Desert, has no fish- 

 ing interests, aside from a few brush- weirs and smoke-houses for the capture and preparation of 

 herring, but the southern portion has a large fishing fleet, and many of its people are wholly 

 dependent upon the fisheries for a livelihood. The residents in the vicinity of many of the small 

 harbors and coves along the southern shore own vessels, and nearly every cove of importance has 

 extensive boat-fisheries. The two principal fishing stations, however, are Southwest Harbor, in 

 the town of Tremont, and Cranberry Islands, lying two or three miles to the eastward. These 

 places have long been noted for their fisheries, and they are still the principal fishery centers. 



THE VESSEL-FISHERIES. According to J. S. Mayo, vessels from the island were engaged in 

 the Labrador cod fisheries early in the present century, and by 1840 not less than seven or eight 

 sail were employed in this way. The business continued to be important for a number of years, 

 after which, it gradually diminished and was wholly abandoned in 1862. Many of the same vessels 

 were engaged in the herring fisheries at the same time, and in the early spring, before starting for 

 Labrador, a majority of them made a trip to the Magdalen Islands and secured a cargo of herring, 

 which were salted and brought home for pickling or smoking. Prior to 18G4, no vessels from the 

 3 a R P 



